In Wendy, Michael, and John's nursery, the blocks on the floor spell out "Disney." (One stack reads D-I-upside-down 5-N, and the blocks next to it read Y-E.) There are also blocks that say "P Pan."

You can hear the voices of Wendy, Michael, and John playing in the upstairs nursery from outside Peter Pan's Flight.

In the ride you will see things, seem to glow in the dark. This is a simple black light effect. The idea is that a light puts out only Ultra Violet light. This is light that you can not see, but when it hits a substance that contains a fluorescent pigment, the light is seen. Causing that "Glowing" effect. A good black light will only put out UV light and nothing else.

Disneyland is celebrating 60 years of magic with a Diamond Celebration set to begin May 22. Since opening in 1955, Disneyland has continued to hold a special place in the hearts of children and adults alike. Here are 25 things you need to know if you are planning to celebrate with Mickey.

Mickey Mouse is planning a blowout as Disneyland Resort in California celebrates its 50th anniversary, starting Thursday.
Sure, it'll be hot, and the lines will be long. But you know you want to go: the Matterhorn; Mickey-shaped, chocolate-covered ice cream; mouse ears with your name

You don't really need a reason to visit Disneyland. It is the happiest place on earth after all. But when was the last time you stepped onto Main Street U.S.A. and took a spin on Dumbo the Flying Elephant?
If it's been awhile, you might want to consider planning a visit this year as the resort

I've been to Disneyland hundreds of times over the last two decades and have been writing the Funland theme park blog for about four years now. As a result, people are always asking me how to do everything at Disneyland in a single day.
The short answer is you probably can't. It can be a

"The thing will get more beautiful year after year. And it will get better as I find out what the public likes; I can't do that with a picture it's finished and unchangeable before I find out whether the public likes it or not." Walt Disney on Disneyland.
Walt Disney found different

Pam Wells has been to Disneyland, she estimates, 50 times in her 43 years. In fact, she's going again this weekend, for her 44th birthday. She can still remember being too excited to sleep the night before a Disneyland outing. And she can list all the places you used to be able to make out and/or

I had been pretty neutral on all things Disney while I was growing up, and as a young adult I didn't seek out any Disney entertainment. I had been to Disney World once when I was eight or nine, but that was pre-Epcot and all I remembered was loving Peter Pan and hating Space Mountain. But in 2006

Here's some advice for those Disneyland purists who have been howling over "Light Magic," the new show unveiled this month as a replacement for the venerable Main Street Electrical Parade: It's different from its predecessor, and entertaining in its own unique way. Deal with it!
Life is about

A magician can pull a rabbit out of a hat, he can cut a woman in half, and he can even make a grown man disappear-I've seen it. But I can't say I really believe in magic. That is, I didn't believe in magic until my wife and I recently took our son to Disneyland.
Going to Disneyland is a major

The saga of the aging cinema star is a part of American folklore-the heady upward trajectory, the few brief seasons on the summit, and the swift descent to "B" pictures, guest appearances, and, of late, odd jobs on television. Next October the saga will be re-enacted again, but with one big

Since Disneyland announced it would debut its 60th anniversary fireworks show, parade and diamond-decorated castle on May 22, I have been eagerly awaiting the day like a little kid making her first visit to the park.
I purposely haven't been to Disneyland since mid-March, to help fuel the

"If you take me to Disneyland I will be your best friend," said the little girl who lives in my house. And the Crown Prince, who is going on five and lives there, too, allowed that he might put away his hammer, with which he alters the furniture, refrain from loud shrieks except an occasional one

There are those who love carnival haunted houses and dark rides, and those who don't. The clackity-clack of the cars running along the track, the musty air with an occasional whiff of cotton-candy or bile, the gaudy plywood forms painted in florescent hues, the air-powered peek-a-BOO! pop-up

A life-long love affair has officially and finally come to an end. A relationship based on a deep and unqualified affection that began back in 1955 when we were both young, and has lasted for about 40 years, is over kaput.
The magic is gone and, it pains me to say so, never again to be

In the seventh of my series comparing the two Disneylands closest to my heart (California and Paris), I shall be looking at selected references to Disney's 1951 animated movie Alice in Wonderland within the parks.
The best place to start is perhaps the "Teacups ride", officially known as Mad

In the fourth of my series comparing the two Disneylands closest to my heart (California and Paris), I shall be looking at Peter Pan's Flight.
When I mention California's Peter Pan's Flight in this article, I am referring only to its current post-1983-refurb version, which added the interior

The shop where visitors could look up their family crest or purchase a coat of arms at Disneyland is closing.
Disneyland officials confirmed that the Castle Heraldry Shoppe will close Jan. 12.
The shop first opened inside a space within the castle in 1994. It moved to its present location

Disneyland junkie. That's me.
I just can't get enough of the place.
There truly is something magical that happens when you pass through the tunnel and enter Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom.
It feels like that passion has been with me forever, because for as long as I can remember, I have

My how time fly's, seems like yesterday I was asking about when the Rivers of America would be filled again. I never like to visit the park when any of the water is not working. It even bummed me out during the renovation of It's a Small World when I saw the canals were dry. I know, weird eh? Yeah

In the third decade of this century America produced a young man of genius. He drew pictures with pen and ink and wash. Like other geniuses, such as Michelangelo, Leonardo and Bernini, he had a mechanical turn of mind; and, by means of all sorts of devices, he made his drawings into motion pictures

It's hard to deny that magical feeling when leaving the real world behind and entering the gates of Disneyland. No matter how many trips have been made to this wonderful amusement park, part of the magic of the "Happiest Place on Earth" is that millions of people have been visiting for more than

After becoming legally blind at age 30, Brenda Woodrum missed seeing the details of one of her favorite Disneyland rides, Pirates of the Caribbean.
So, Woodrum teared up when she heard a description of cannons shooting from pirate ships on the ride using a new listening device that just became

Voice-over actors are the hidden artists who provide the audio atmosphere and essential back stories that bring theme parks to life..
From the parking lot tram spiel to park-wide announcements to ride narrations, the best work of voice-over actors often goes unnoticed simply because it blends

Disney parks are known for thrilling rides, epic foods and drink, and a creatively magical experience. The original Disneyland park in California has many rides that match up with Florida's Disney World, but not all rides are created equal. For example, the Space Mountain in Disney World is

This July, Walt Disney will realize a lifelong dream, when the fabulous wonderland he is raising out of the dust of a 160-acre tract in the heart of California's orange-growing country opens to the public. The 5 million young at heart who are expected to visit it annually will know it as

Although Disney had a dislike for the typical carnivals of the time, it wasn't so much the content, but the environment and the lack of attention to detail. Long before the park was built, after one of his frequent visits to Griffith Park with his daughters, he stated, "Things could be done better

Disneyland, the idea, came from the mind of Walt Disney, but Disneyland, the theme park, was a collaborative effort. It took a great many men and women to create it. Since all men are created equal, everyone who contributed should be credited. I've known about C.V. Wood for many years, and

Last time we left off, we were meeting some of the Imagineers who were responsible for the initial creation of Disneyland. We began to see the park take physical shape and learn about the origins of Main Street USA and Sleeping Beauty's Castle. There were roughly 6 months until the opening. The

"Hotter than hell" is how Art Linkletter, the emcee and Walt Disney's longtime friend, remembers it. "The asphalt had just been rolled and people's shoes got stuck in it. But we carried on. We didn't worry about stuff like that."
Fifty years is a long time, but those who were there when

You have to love how the Disneyland Resort caters to the whole family. As you walk around you will see that there are rides for every age group as well as the entire family. This includes toddlers.
Yet, say you are going on a play date with just toddlers, do you know where you can take them

Disneyland, an oasis of niceness in a cynical world wracked by terrorism, war and scandal, celebrates its 50th anniversary on May 5.
And what a birthday party it promises to be: 18 months of "the Happiest Homecoming on Earth", starring every Disney character you know, from Mickey Mouse to

Think you're too cynical, sophisticated, debauched or underfunded to visit the Happiest Place on Earth? This one's for you.
I am of Disneyland. My love for Walt Disney's 54-year-old theme park can move (space!) mountains. In fact, my love for Disneyland is so perfect and so complete that I

A recent four-night stay at Disneyland proves that this rich, glorious theme park, celebrating its 50th anniversary from now until 2007, is best enjoyed as a planned excursion, not as a whim.
Begin with Birnbaum's, an indispensable annual paperback that's available for around twelve dollars.

Toontown, Disneyland's first new "land" in 20 years, will unveil its latest attraction--Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin--on Toontown's first birthday, Jan. 26.
Car Toon Spin is a gas.
Those at the Disney-sponsored second annual Disneyana Convention in mid-September were treated to a gala evening

The final fantastic touches are being put on Disneyland. The $16,500,000 amusement park created by Walt Disney, the film producer, is scheduled to open July 18.
It covers sixty acres and is calculated to draw about 5,000,000 visitors a year.
Disneyland is situated in this

Disneyland was dedicated during a special preview opening day on July 17, 1955. The public opening was July 18. The dedication aired on ABC at 4:30 p.m. July 17. Some details of the opening:
Park attendance: 6,000 guests were invited for the special preview opening, but an additional 22,000

The First Hint that my mission will be daunting: I tell the cast member in Guest Relations the title of the article I'm researching, and she starts to giggle. Disneyland in a day? Who am I kidding? "It might be a little hard," she says, handing me my tickets, "to do it all in a day."

Who wants sugar in their tea? The Mad Hatter asked. Everyone cheered. It is at this moment when I realised the greatest thing for the 'little traveller' was the parks unique way to bring treasured favourites to life, such as a favoured classic, Alice in wonderland.
Many years on from its

When my adventurous eight-year-old resorted to a sympathetic pep talk to convince me to ride Disneyland's Space Mountain with him, the role-reversal was too embarrassing to refuse.
On that magical, starlit, pleasantly disorienting plunge, with my son holding my hand, I had my Disneyland moment:

Sitting here in the hub of Main Street, coffee in hand, and hands sticky from the cinnamon roll I just devoured, I would like to start my first article with the past, my past, and my early Disneyland experiences that have implanted themselves in my heart and brain over the years.
"Here age

"Are you in good health?" asks Olivia, my 9-year-old niece. We're waiting in line for the Hollywood Tower of Terror, which she says is the scariest ride at Disney's California Adventure, the theme park that opened next door to Disneyland in 2001.
"I like to think I am," I respond.
"Do

If you live within an hour of the Disneyland Resort, you might want to have your next date at the Park. I mean if you think about it, Disneyland is made for fun and what could be more fun than getting a chance to know someone while playing a little too. It could ease the tension and bring a

The jack-o'-lanterns started magically appearing this week at Disneyland as the Halloween season grows near.
At the same time, the 60th anniversary decorations were magically disappearing into Yesterland. The large "60" button on the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle was removed, as were most of

The last time I went to Disneyland I got to drive the jeep in the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ride. Unfortunately, my family disobeyed instructions and looked into the eye of the idol, so we were condemned to a terrifying adventure before finally returning safely to the loading dock.

Southern California residents can "show their Disney side" in 2014 as the Disneyland Resort once again presents a ticket offer especially for them, with options for two or three days of fun and adventure at the parks -- all at special prices. To explore all there is to do at Disneyland park and

Disneyland has already unveiled plans for a new fireworks show, a parade and "sparkling" features on two of its iconic buildings as part of the park's 60th anniversary celebration this summer..
Now Southern California's most popular theme park plans to add enhancements to several attractions,

It's time to take a ride on Pinocchio's Daring Journey at Disneyland, which is based on Walt Disney's second animated feature film, "Pinocchio," which was based on the children's novel "The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi.
This attraction appeared in 1983, occupying the space that

Several Disneyland rides were temporarily closed Thursday afternoon after reports of smoke in an area near the Pinocchio Daring Journey ride in the Fantasyland section of the theme park, according to fire department and park officials.
More than 20 personnel from the Anaheim Fire Department

Disneyland is giving itself a 50th birthday bash and we're all invited. The party began on the fifth of May and my family and I visited on the eighth. When I passed through the turnstile, the employee greeted me with a hearty, "Welcome home," in keeping with the 50th Anniversary theme, "Happiest

Here's the deal with Disneyland. The two women ahead of me in line were Elizabeth and Lexi, twins fromWinnetka, Ill. Elizabeth is a communications and political science major at the University of Southern California. Lexi is a philosophy major atYale.
They knew the words to ''We Can Fly,'' a

The summer of 1955 was magical for two children living in Southern California. Like thousands of others, they visited Disneyland.
But, unlike their peers, the visit by cousins Bill Krauch and Sybil Stanton was part of a revealing peak at the Magic Kingdom weeks before the park opened to the

Oh, boy! The Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration begins today!
Disneyland Park opened in Anaheim, Calif., on July 17, 1955, and ever since, it has entertained millions of guests from all over the world. That's no small feat!
"It's amazing to contemplate all that Disneyland has come to

Guests visiting Disneyland these days will notice intriguing upgrades and changes to several classic, beloved attractions. As part of the park's 60th anniversary celebration, the Haunted Mansion, the Matterhorn and Peter Pan's Flight have all received tweaks, referred to as "New Magic" by

Disneyland, a monument to childhood, is also a test of how well you've grown up. Your first visit is guaranteed to be interesting, just as the first time you drive a car, have sex or spend a night by yourself is filled with wonder. But by the tenth or hundredth time you do it, amazement will elude

Walt Disney's first Fantasyland was designed to give the impression that Sleeping Beauty Castle (with its rockwork turrets and extended walls of stone) was the single permanent structure in the area. Fantasyland's rides and concessions were arranged in the castle courtyard as if part of a traveling

Disney was inspired a half-century ago to build a special amusement park in California-a place where adults and children would be amazed by a tropical forest, astonished by a fairy tale castle and astounded by sights of the space age.
Disney, a man of creativity, talent and perseverance, ran a

Disneyland is often called "The Happiest Place on Earth". When you break it down, this claim has a lot of validity. Magic comes to life when your favorite childhood characters begin dancing in front of you. Suddenly Belle, Prince Charming and Mickey Mouse come alive in one location, forcing you to

Sixty years ago, in a state of shock, a struggling young animator boarded a westbound train in New York. Walt Disney had traveled east to negotiate a better distribution deal for his cartoons starring Oswald the Rabbit-only to be told that his distributor owned the rights to the rabbit and had

Mickey and Minnie Mouse welcomed some famous friends to their Disneyland home Wednesday to help the theme park kick off its Happiest Homecoming 50th anniversary celebration, which continues through the end of 2006.
Former Mouseketeer Christina Aguilera was spotted in the Haunted Mansion,

Minnie's House, the Haunted Mansion and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride are all attractions families may want to avoid during their next Disneyland adventure, according to an environmental group alleging the California theme park is riddled with attractions that can expose children to potentially dangerous

When Disneyland throws a party, you know we're gonna be there - and Disneyland After Dark: Throwback Nite was no exception. Disneyland's first event in a forthcoming series of themed nights this year was an ode to the rides, tunes, and thrills of yesteryear, complete with food, music,

With the recent launch of a new direct flight between Toronto's Pearson International Airport and the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA, Air Canada teamed up with the folks at Disneyland and the tourism boards of Orange County, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Huntington Beach to send a

It's hard to say when it was decided to schedule a vacation at Disneyland. A year of pictures dominated by apes, lions and burning flesh-and those were just the kids' movies-probably had something to do with it. In any case, it was time to celebrate Disneyland's golden anniversary in style.

The trip to Disneyland was amazing. It had been twenty years since the last trip where I was able to enjoy any of the thrill rides. I was apprehensive and skeptical about my chances of fitting on any of the classics, let alone on the new attractions. But fortunately my worries didn't match

A lot has changed at Disneyland since the park first opened in 1955.
Over the nearly six decades that have passed since its debut, many things at the Happiest Place on Earth have either been lost over time or met with a wrecking ball during one of the park's many expansions and

Being a frequent Disneyland visitor, I never figured a day would come that the highlight of a Disney resort visit would be a live-action performance of a cartoon beloved by 8-year-olds everywhere.
But, yes, perhaps hell has "Frozen" over.
Of course, my main motivation in going to

It was sweltering that day. And crowded. People swarmed to the entrance to Disneyland even if they didn't have tickets, that's how eager they were to get inside.
"Hotter than hell" is how Art Linkletter, the emcee and Walt Disney's longtime friend, remembers the opening day of Disneyland July

It's been a little more than a week since we've returned from our family trip to Disneyland. I'm almost scared to admit this, but I'd happily return with my four-year-old son, Nolan and his eight-month-old brother, Quin. Now that we've experienced the chaos once, I know what I'd do to make it even

Disneyland is not just for sugar-soaked kids. Consider, all you grown-up women out there, going for a gals' day out.
That's exactly what my childhood friend Joanna and I, both of us in our 30s, recently did instead of heading to the beach or shopping. Did we channel our inner princesses? Nope.

This past Sunday, November 6, marked the fifth unofficial Harry Potter Day at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. According to the organizer's website: "Our event draws Potter fans from all over the Southland and far beyond for a day of mirth, mischief and magic! The elves are hard at work

This week, our unlicensed astrologers tell your fortune based on your favorite attraction at Disneyland.
Splash Mountain
Drinking a can of beer through a straw is totally unclassy, but drinking an entire pitcher that way will make you the biggest badass in a 12-mile radius.
Dumbo

School is out, the kids are full of energy and expectations and parents across Utah are making summer plans. Gasoline prices have driven many Utahns to choose Disneyland as their summer destination. Here are five tips and little-known secrets for making your Magic Kingdom visit more memorable.

It was a normal Sunday afternoon at Disneyland. The Gay Nineties show had just broken at the Golden Horseshoe, a make-believe salon located in the Frontierland area. The tourist-packed Mark Twain, a scaled-down reproduction of a nineteenth-century Mississippi river boat, was sailing around Tom

Disneyland was built on a dream. And it was Walt Disney's dream that has made millions of wishes come true during the past 50 years.
Hundreds of millions of wishes, really. And also special moments - first dates and honeymoons, birthdays and anniversaries, and fun days spent with kids and later

Disneyland has remained one of the world's most popular attractions ever since it was built on a 160-acre site near Anaheim, California, in 1955. Love it or loathe it, there is no denying that nearly 16 million people eagerly flock every year to gawp open-mouthed at the Technicolor playground

It is hard to tell when exactly this affair of over 50 years started. This year, the land where we met is celebrating its founding after 55 years. The "government' runs smoothly, cleanliness is number one and no one is privy to the inner workings, even the public restrooms are discreet and nearly

Disneyland has re-opened seven Fantasyland rides shut down this afternoon because of smoke behind the scenes.
More than 20 firefighters were sent to the park about 12:07 p.m. regarding smoke coming from a large electrical conduit inside the wall behind Pinocchio's Daring Journey ride, said

The happiest place on earth is even happier with a four-month-old Golden Retriever. An integral and fun part of the service dog training experience is taking a trip to Disneyland. Sights, sounds, smells, and millions of distractions await the service dog-in-training at a Disneyland Park. People are

In real life, fame rarely leads to fortune--particularly if you are a mouse. But in Hollywood, almost anything can have a fairy tale ending. After more than a quarter-century of paw-to-mouth existence, Mickey Mouse finally is piloting his creator, Walt Disney, to the pot of cheese at the foot of

It had been more than seven years since we last visited the Disneyland Resort.
So much has changed since 2006 ... and, thankfully, so much remains the same at Walt Disney's ground-breaking theme park, known universally as The Happiest Place on Earth.
Disney fans who live on the East

I don't even remember my first trip to Disneyland as a child. My first trip with my high school band, on the other hand, I do remember, if a little vaguely. Hey, I've been going since I was a kid, and even with my makeshift leash, all the wonderful memories have always tended to blend together. It

I had never been to Disneyland. When I was growing up, we watched "The Wonderful World of Disney" TV show and thought it looked like a magical place, but the idea of piling all seven of us into the 1953 Plymouth and heading for California was not something that occurred to us.
I didn't even know

Visitors can fly over London and Neverland again.
After a seven-month hiatus, an enhanced version of one of Disneyland's original rides is back along with Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy, Captain Hook and Smee.
The Peter Pan's Flight attraction re-opens today, boasting new special effects

A handful of Disneyland rides were closed Thursday when an electrical problem sent smoke wafting into Pinocchio's Daring Journey.
The smoke was reported just after noon in the Fantasyland section of Disneyland, said Maria Sabol of the Anaheim Fire Department.
"It was described as a wall

The newspapers boosted the event like a Community Chest drive. The Hollywood Bowl was jumping with thousands of kids wearing coonskin caps. ABC-TV put on a special one-and-half-hour telecast requiring 24 cameras, and Simon and Schuster published a special book about it. The man behind the

Disneyland is a place where a grown man looks perfectly normal wearing Mickey Mouse ears and where a little girl can feel like a princess.
The first true theme park also is a melting pot where an Indian woman in traditional dress poses for a photo in front of the Small World ride

With a boy of his own, Stephen Lacey makes his first visit to the Disneyland of his childhood.
When I was a boy, my idea of Disneyland was pretty sketchy; it was where Mickey and Donald lived. And there was a ride where you sat in a giant spinning teacup.
I knew only one kid who had

Not for nothing did a grizzled lifer at Disneyland refer to his worksite as "Mauschwitz." In this case, "lifer" means "one condemned to wear a Donald Duck suit, day in and day out, even when it's 110 degrees in the shade, even when he can't see well enough through the eyeholes to make out which kid

But I wanted more of Disney's new Indiana Jones Adventure ride.
So I climbed aboard again. And again. And again.
And again. And again. And again.
And again.
Eight times altogether.
And why not?
At age 48, I was in Disneyland. Alone. I was vacationing for the first time without my

When my adventurous eight-year-old resorted to a sympathetic pep talk to convince me to ride Disneyland's Space Mountain with him, the role-reversal was too embarrassing to refuse.
On that magical, starlit, pleasantly disorienting plunge, with my son holding my hand, I had my Disneyland

Disneyland, the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, opened on Sunday, July 17, 1955. Construction lasted for exactly one year, and cost only $17 million to complete.
The opening was only intended for about 11,000 invited guests and press, though a

Depending on your view of the world's most famous rodent, a plan to visit Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, one after the other, is either a dream or a nightmare. Those in support of an oversized mousetrap would warn that dragging an adventurous seven-year-old and a jet-lagged

Disneyland, the theme park that bills itself as "the happiest place on Earth," filled with people during a recent spring-break April day when the temperature hovered near 90.
People waited for more than two hours for a chance to ride Splash Mountain. Finding a bench to sit for a moment with a

Disney Parks have a reputation for presenting themselves as perfect, flawless places where nothing could ever possibly go wrong.
Some less-than-amazing stuff has allegedly happened inside the parks, but by many accounts, Disney works realllll hard to make it all feel truly magical.
But it

Twenty years ago," Walt said as we drove toward Disneyland, some 25 miles southeast of central Los Angeles, "I was always trying to think of a place to take my two small daughters on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon - a place where I could have fun, too.
"At an amusement park the only fun provided

Take one creative genius with idea, engineers with mechanical know-how, a 160-acre orange grove in Anaheim, Calif., and mix thoroughly with $19,000,000. The result? Disneyland, U.S.A.
Walt Disney, the genius behind this playground, has a mind that is constantly busy with new ideas, In fact, he

Like Tinkerbell's fairy dust, the magic of Disneyland cannot be contained.
It started sparkling in Anaheim, Calif., 50 years ago with the birth of Walt Disney's original theme park. It has since spread to in Orlando, Paris, Tokyo and now Hong Kong.
Now the magic has reached Dearborn.

Walt Disney had an idea. The 50-ish entrepreneur, already established as the premier figure in the animation industry, wanted to build a giant amusement park centered around the light-hearted themes embodied in his world-famous cartoons and their equally famous cast of characters: the likes of

There is no denying that Utahns love all things Disney, including the company's theme parks, television and radio stations, movies and iconic cartoon characters. For many of us, a trip to Disneyland was an essential rite of growing up. I first went when I was 12 and I have taken my kids and